Notes / Commercial Description:
Named after the hop flower Humulus Lupulus, this India Pale Ale style beer has enormous amounts of hop bitterness, flavor and aroma. With a very complex malt bill, flavors seem to meld with the hops to balance this ale and provide a ridiculous urge to sample more.
140 IBU

Clear coppery orange with a sticky, white cap. Chunky lacing and great head retention. Bright orange and tangerine aroma with a bit of a sharper grapefruit edge. Slightly powdery and piney. Solid hop bitterness turns a bit sharp towards the finish. Lots of pine resin and grapefruit pith. Fruity sweetness and a flash of caramel malts mid-palate provide just enough balance. Lingering bitterness with a hint of alcohol. Medium bodied with slight warmth, a bit dry with moderate carbonation. A great IPA, plenty of punch with lots of flavour.

Appearance: Relatively clear gold with some copper leanings. Head is rocky and bright-white and dwindles to a sticky lacing in short order.

Smell: Tons of hops. I'm getting a bunch of orange rind mixed with some pineapple and pine. It hits every range I thought hops could hit without being too crazy. A touch of malt sweetness lingers in the back, but the nose is dominated by the hops.

Taste: Similar to the nose. Lots of citrus hits the tongue and quickly gives way to a lingering pine flavor. The thing I thought of as pineapple on the nose is long gone. Some sweetness from the malts drops some caramel notes, perhaps something biscuity as well, and quickly departs.

Mouthfeel: A little heavier than I was expecting. It almost drinks DIPA heavy, but lacks the overtly syrupy quality. Carbonation is on the low side and it finishes a little dry.

Drinkability: I could probably drink a few of these before my tastebuds begged me to switch it up. Goes down easy due to low carbonation.

Overall: I'm lucky to have found a 12-pack of this while it was in MA for EBF weekend. It's an amazing take on the American IPA and brings the midwest brewers in to serious IPA contention. This might be one of the better IPA's I've had in recent history.

Appears veiled gold with some wisps of suspended particulates (probably yeast) floating a couple of inches below the surface. A vigorous pour gets you two fingers of luxurious, slightly rocky head that sticks around for a long time, generating some attractive latticework for the rest of glass.

Smells yummy: A whiff of sharp pine with some lemon and peach present but in more of a west coast proportion.

Tastes as it smells: definitely more of a west-coast experience. This one is pine forward with just enough lemon zest and grapefruit to keep things from being too out of balance. Some malt sweetness comes in at the end to compete with -- and eventually lose to -- the intense bitter end that seems to continue unabated until your next sip compounds the issue. This would stand up to many a DIPA and, in the IPA sphere, comfortably fits into the "ringer" category next to Furious and Torpedo. Those looking for a hop fiesta will be most pleased.

A: wonderfully bright copper color, just over a finger of head (more due to a less than proper pour on my part). head didn't last terribly long, minor lace present throughout the entire pint.

S: hops, hops and more hops- and that's how I like 'em! the hops really smack you in the face with a good amount of pine and citrus. about half way through I swear a caught a hint of bread dough, but just a subtle one.

T: as much hops in the taste as in the aroma. get that smooth hop taste for about a second or two and a malty delight kicks in, followed by a bitterness at the back of the tongue that lingers long after you've set the glass down and continues to tingle until the next sip.

M: smooth and satisfying. well carbonated, but not overly so. as mentioned above, a pleasant tingle on the back of the tongue lingers until the next sip.

D: incredibly drinkable if you like 'em hoppy. definitely a favorite of mine. goes down easy, but not really a session beer. the hops really take control of the palate so any more than a couple will be a waste- save the next one for another time when you have a fresh slate and can really enjoy it.

edit: poured a second one immediately following the beer reviewed above- gave it a proper pour and got a full 2 finger head. still doesn't last terribly long but the lacing is stronger. same hoppy goodness though!

Big earthy tobacco and grapefruit bitter. Grapefruit up the wazoo. Little bit of acidic pineapple and fuzzy peach in there too. The bottle claims "the hearty malt bill melds with the hops to create a perfect balance." This ain't balance, this is malticide.

A- Deep amber with a half finger of thick white head. Head retains in a thin covering with little circles of thicker head. Copious amounts of lacing on the glass.

S- I imagine that this is what death by grapefruit would smell like. Not just the meat of the grapefruit but the rind adding to the nose. There is a pineapple note that is trying to make a guest appearance along with some caramel, but they lost out in cast billing.

T- The nose is carried over into the taste. Bombarded by bitterness of grapefruit but mellowed out by slight pineapple and caramel sweetness. It isn't completely balanced, though it is pretty close considering how bitter it is.

M- Medium body. Sort of body that is great for two or three bottles but starts to weigh on the stomach. Nice long lasting bitterness.

O- One of my favorites. The bitterness was too much for me the first time I had this one; it took a while for it to grow on me. The abv is hidden well and makes it an easy drinker.

A - pours a hazy orange with a small tight white head with great lacing and retention
S- Lovely hop presence with citrus and grassy undertones and the pale sweet malt coming through nicely
T - light, crisp, hoppy and floral with the malt rounding everything out nicely. Lots of caramel and citrus on the palate.
M - smooth going down with medium carbonation
D - Fantastic drinkability and I want to get some more here in Indiana. Please some to Indiana Shorts when you are up and bottling.

A: Pours a dark amber with about a finger width of oily tan head that quickly faded into a bubbly film and collar that left steaks of sticky lacing down the glass.
S: Smells awesome! Huge notes of exotic fruits including mango, papaya and pineapple. Hints of juicy lemon and cantaloupe as well.
T: Follows the nose with the addition of some hints of caramel and toasted malt. Finish has an almost bubblegum-tangerine sweetness to it, kind of like Starbursts candy or sherbet. Aftertaste is citusy and bitter.
M: Very creamy carbonation with a smooth mouthfeel and medium body. Bitterness is ample but clean and pleasant.
D: Very good IPA. Super fruity and very bitter with a delicious aroma. One of the best I've had in a while. I would definitely seek this out if it were available locally.

Generously traded from Mikesgroove and generously shared by my good friend treyrab.

Poured in to a snifter. This beer pours a radiant hazy golden orange with pink tones in the center. It looks very nice despite the lack of head (I blame the glassware more then I blame the brewery).

The smell is magnificent, it's like sticking your nose into a fruit basket. Tons of tropical fruit including but not limited to Mango, peach, orange, ripe banana, and lemongrass. There is also a floral component that really complements the other scents well.

The taste is sublime, and matches the smell scent-for-taste. Great caramel backing adds a near perfect balance. The carbonation is perfect for the style, as it adds a sharp feel that I find refreshing and desirable in an IPA.

Great beer, really thankful to those mentioned above that were generous to share and I will be seeking out more of this in the near future.

On tap at Grand Trunk in Detroit.
Appearance - Amber coloured with creamy, long-lasting head.
Aroma - Predominantly hoppy. Aromas are grapefruit and pine, some sweet malt in the back.
Flavour is primarily bitter; grapefruit with malt always in the background, but present. Finish is very bitter and hoppy, with a lingering, almost raw, hops flavour.

4.5 T: Medium, but aggressive, level of bitterness. The taste is almost the inverse of the nose. Lots of pine and grapefruit, while orange hangs out in the background. Malts are again in the background, but slightly more pronounced than in the nose. Bready and doughy, but not off-putting like in some IPAs. Touch of chewy yeastiness as well.

4.0 M: Medium body. Carbonation is okay, but might be slightly too aggressive. Could also be a bit creamier, but good enough overall.

4.0 D: Tasty beer here. Great taste, awesome nose, and a good enough mouthfeel. Would buy this if Short's ever decided to distribute here.

12oz bottle purchased at Tiffany's in K-Zoo when I took a road trip up to Michigan. Poured into my snifter with some vigor, and a surprising amount of yeast almost slipped past into the globe - not on my watch!

Looks GREAT! Bright orange with a white head that leaves a ton of lace. This is a perfect looking IPA!!

Smell is nice, some caramel and light toffee supports a ton of floral and piney hops. TONS of citrus, mainly grapefruit and orange.

Taste is wonderful - a great malt base that has just enough biscuity presence, then some kick-ass hops. Piney, earthy, citrus. Sweet start and bitter finish. Touch of lingering bitterness but pretty darn smooth.

Mouthfeel is great, I would love a touch less malt heaviness, but it's damn close to perfection.

Drinkable as all get-out. I LOVE this beer and I'm happy to be rating a Shorts beer highly after a few encounters with the infected batches from late last year. I think this is a great beer - wonderful work guys!

taste: very bitter, one of the more bitter beer i've ever had. It's a long lasting bitterness, very hoppy and earthiness to it, citrus and grapefruit come through in the end, any malt is easily masked by the bitterness. Lots of floral notes, tastes like a hint of honey is lost somewhere in there as well. If you love bitter high IBU beers like I do, you will love this. Alcohol not noticeable.

mouthfeel: pretty high carbonation, slightly thin feel

overall: A very bitter hop bomb, this offering from Short's packs a punch. To compare it to a more popular beer, it's more bitter than a Ruination, but with less pronounced citrus/grapefruit flavors. A great hoppy beer, one of the most bitter i've ever had, will buy again. Whatever you drink after this, you will not taste.

Deliciously crisp IPA that offers a lot of floral citrus notes. It's quite bitter and perhaps a little less malty than some of the sweeter IPA's. This really allows the different flavors of the hops to shine through.

Wow this might be better than Two Hearted, and. coming from someone with the username BellsFan THAT'S A BIG DEAL.
A: looks like an IPA aught to. Sserved without much head but presented with a deep amber color.
S: more than good hop aroma!
T: tastes like I'm drinking hops
M: actually it's thinner than expected for 140 IBUs and it's well balanced with just enough malt but not too much for an IPA
O: I ordered another; enough said

Recieved on a recent trade from rhoadsrage. Pours a crimson amber with a foamy fluffy head that leaves nice thick lace on the glass. Smell has a candy like hop quality to it. I can detect citrus in the nose but also pear like quality. Taste is a hopcoaster with big upfront pine taste and sweet nectar on the sides of your toungue, overall hop finish towards the end. This one fine crafted IPA hoppy and to the point.

Pours an orange/amber color with a creamy off-white head that rose a full two fingers. Good retention and loads of lacing. This is a pretty beer.

White grapefruit and oranges up front with some toasted malt peeking through. Maybe a little more than I like, which detracts from the citrus goodness. Some notes of pine resin/oil round out the nose.

Pithy grapefruit and oranges burst onto the palate. The toasted malt lays much lower on the palate than in the nose, allowing the resinous, oily pine and citrus flavors to stand tall. There is an uppercut of bitterness that builds with each sip.

Medium body with perfect carbonation. Chewy, thick and oily all the while finding a way to be smooth and creamy. The build up of bitterness coats and really sticks to the gums.

I had somewhat high expectations for this beer and it did not disappoint. Quickly becoming one of my favorites in the style. This is on my short list to answer of the age old question: "If you could only have one IPA for the rest of your life, what would it be?"

Huge thanks to eyebrews for lugging a case of this nectar down to DLD! Jack, you are the salt of the earth!

Pours a hazy copper with a thick, white head. It leaves a fair amount of stickiness as you continue to enjoy this delicious IPA. Smell is filled with different kinds of hops:, floral, citrus, pine -- and there is some malt present -- a nice biscuity malt.

A lot of citrus as you work your way through this. It is a touch bitter on the outset, but it balances out as you do. I get hints of caramel here to... just so much at work.

This is easily one of my favorite IPAs. It's so fresh, which no doubt helps its cause, but I'm sold.

Yes MICHIGAN does kick arse on all brews that are hoppy. Short's brew is another awesome beer from Michigan where the best beers are brewed in the WORLD. This IPA is awesome not as good as Hopslam but pretty close. Taste like if I was licking the floors of heaven. One of the best IPAs I have tasted. Delicious!